


Chronicles of Bones, Dust and Souls

by RestlessCancer



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Blind Frisk, Blindness, Determination, Female Frisk, Flowey became a separate entity from Asriel, Flowey is an asshole, Frisk Needs A Hug, Gaster Blasters, Gaster has good intentions, Hurt/Comfort, It's Undertale expect all the worst and best, Partially Deaf Character, Sans Needs A Hug, Sans Remembers Resets, Scientist W. D. Gaster, Undertale Reset Issues, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-05-31 07:49:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6461908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RestlessCancer/pseuds/RestlessCancer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Basically it's a third person story exploring possible (cause I'm not Toby Fox) origin stories of the Undertale characters and potential back story for the whole thing. Revolves primarily around Sans, Frisk and Papyrus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Attempt

If Sans could forget everything before the second human fell into the cursed mountain’s underground caverns, he would. He saw the annihilation of his people and endured a lifetime of abuse alongside his baby brother. Unlike everyone else, he could still remember each timeline. The only difference between all of them was the endings. After each human, there was a slightly different ending. If it weren’t for Toriel, he never would’ve told anyone. Thankfully for his aching soul and wavering sanity, she convinced him to tell someone- anyone, really. For some reason, that someone was Frisk.

Sans was told that writing it all down would probably be the most therapeutic, but that wasn’t his style. Notes were distant and cold, no matter how many emotion-filled words were used. They lacked the kind of emotion and life that only speech could convey. It wasn’t like the signs in Waterfall lining the walls and telling the history of Humans and Monsters. It was more personal and poetic. So one night, while they were all settling in their new home above ground- a little wood and stone cottage- Sans slipped into Frisk’s room.

“Mmm? Who’s there?” Frisk called out, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“Hey, half-pint, it’s just me,” Sans responded. “Sorry to wake ya.”

“No, it’s fine. Was having a bad dream anyway…” Frisk yawned, sitting up in bed and patting the empty space to invite Sans to sit. “What’s up?”

“What were ya dreaming about?” Sans asked, ignoring the young girl’s question.

“Chara… I know she helped me to defeat Flowey, or I guess it was Asriel, but I know she wasn’t a good person. She’s the one who… I don’t know how to describe it…” Frisk answered, knowing Sans would fess up to why he came soon enough.

“Chara’s the one who triggered what Alphys and I call the reset.” Sans supplied, stunning the girl, which made him chuckle. “Heh, guess I don’t seem much for the science-y kind huh, kid?”

“Not at all… Science is so serious and consequential… Not at all like you.” Frisk responded, seeming to look a bit guilty about her response.

“That’s cause I gave up on all that a long time ago,” Sans explained with a look of appreciation on his bony face. “After Dr. Gaster disappeared, I promised I’d never touch that stuff again and I’d protect the timelines from anyone who wanted anything that even resembled violence. I didn’t like what I did to Chara before she offed me, but I wasn’t gonna stand by and let her get away with murdering everyone…”

“She killed people?” Frisk questioned, looking more alarmed than anything.

“Yeah…” Sans answered with a distant look on his face.

“Like who?”

“Toriel, Undyne, Mettaton, really anyone she encountered.”

“Even Napstablook, Temie, and Papyrus?” Frisk pressed, wondering if even they could be targets when they’re so nice to everyone.

“Well, ghosts can’t die, but she sure tried to take away the last shreds of Napstablook’s existence. Most of the Temies got away, though, thanks to Alphys.” Sans elaborated, carefully avoiding the answer about Papyrus’s demise.

“What about Papyrus?”

If Sans has a throat, he would’ve swallowed and swallowed hard to keep his emotions in check. As a skeleton, you’d think he’d be more of a blank slate, a one emotion pony (as opposed to a one trick pony since Sans certainly had more than one trick up his sleeves- especially since he had four sleeves- ba-dum-ch!), but Sans could carry a lot of emotion on those weathered bones. As his white pupils faded away, Frisk gasped. She had learned that when they fade, he’s all business and brass tax.

“How could she?!” Frisk questioned, thinking of how heartless she must have been to kill sweet ‘little’ Papyrus.

“She wasn’t Human. Not really anyway. She may have looked like one on the outside, but anyone with half a brain could see that she had no soul, no compassion.” Sans offered up listlessly. 

Before Sans could come out of his own skull, Frisk lunged at him and wrapped him in a tight but gentle hug. Much to Sans’ amazement, Frisk was crying as he hugged her back. If he had a heart, it would be breaking- not just from her reaction and kindness, but from the memory of knowing that first human, Chara, had murdered his baby brother- even after Papyrus had shown her mercy and love, had given her a second chance. He didn’t need to be there to know that’s what his brother had done.

“Hey, why the water works, kiddo?” Sans questioned, pulling back to wipe away her tears with a bony finger. “He’s here now and that’s all that matters, got it?”

“Mmhmm…” Frisk sniffled, looking him in the eye sockets as his pupils started to reappear.

“Frisk, dear child, what are you doing up?” Toriel questioned, entering the room with a lit candle and sitting where Sans was.

Frisk rolls her eyes in her mind- of course, Sans would teleport himself away while Toriel was there. She had a strict bedtime for her daughter and Sans would surely get a talking to about ‘waking up a growing girl.’ At the same time, Frisk still has a huge admiration for Toriel, the former Queen of the Underland and current head teacher of the Overland School, because “goat mom is best mom” (Jacksepticeye, Undertale playthrough).

“Have you been crying, little one?” Toriel asked, running her gentle hooves through the young girl’s hair.

“Just had a sad dream,” Frisk answered with a shrug, looking sleepily up at her adoptive mother.

“Shall I stay here until you fall asleep to discourage any more of those dreams from coming, my child?” Toriel wondered as her daughter laid back down in bed.

“That would be nice.” Frisk agreed through a yawn.

“Then that’s what I shall do,” Toriel responded, continuing to pet the young girl’s hair humming a soft melody.

After Toriel was sure Frisk was asleep, she quietly left the girl’s room, closing the door quietly behind her. Afterward, she went directly to Sans’s and Papyrus’s room. As she expected, Sans was lounging on his daybed watching his little brother sleep in the beloved race car bed.

“Sans, when I encouraged you to talk to someone, I was hoping you would choose me or Asgore, but if you must select Frisk, at least, wait until she awakens on her own.” Toriel gently scolded, knowing the look on the older skeleton’s face. “If you would like to talk tonight, I am all ears, but please let her sleep… She went through a lot to get us where we are.”

“Yeah, sorry Tori.” Sans apologized. “I’m not much for talkin’ for the night after all, not ready I think.”

With that, he let Toriel tuck him in and nuzzle him, after all, it’s not like he hated affection. She left the room and though it took what felt like an infinite loop of timelines, Sans finally fell asleep.


	2. Terrible Sleep Movie #1

Sans was only five when Papyrus was… born? It was a bit complicated how two skeletons became living beings like Humans and Monsters when they didn’t have the vital organs that made life possible, but then again, Magic can do strange things. Asgore wasn’t certain what the purpose of Gaster’s experiments was or why he had created skeleton children, but he figured the doctor probably longed for a family just like the one that he and his lovely Toriel were creating so he left the good doctor alone.

“Gastah?” Sans called out quietly, padding into the workshop in his sleeper from Toriel (she was really into knitting little footie pajamas for her little ones and didn’t want Sans to feel left out).

“Sh, Sans, you’ll wake your brother,” Gaster responded in a quiet voice as he turned around with a tiny skeleton bundled in a red scarf in his arms.

“Brovah?” Sans questioned, turning his skull to the side a bit in his confusion.

“Yes, Little Bones. This is the new Baby Bones, his name is Papyrus.” Gaster explained, crouching down so Sans could see the smaller skeleton boy.

Sans wasn’t sure how to feel upon the first encounter because he was so tired and he just wanted Gaster to tuck him in and make sure no humans could get him. Having colic as a baby bones he hadn’t slept for long or very well so he slept often and that problem stayed with him in the form of insomnia as Gaster called it. He hated seeming needy or annoying, but his sleep problems and emotional immaturity made him very fussy when he was tired.

“Gastah…” Sans whined as quietly as he could and rubbing at his eye socket.

“Oh, yes, of course. Bedtime for Little Bones.” Gaster responded in a whisper, laying Papyrus in Sans’ old bassinette. “Come along, Sans. Let’s get you tucked in.”

Instead of carrying Sans like he normally would, Gaster had the little skeleton toddle along and hold his hand. The doctor was hoping to get Sans a bit more accustomed to growing up- especially now that his second experiment had succeeded and produced yet another baby bones- proving his success at creating life. It was the first step to learning the secrets of resurrection, ones that would help lead him to a solution to destroying the barrier. If he managed study Toriel and Asgore’s little adopted human daughter, he could find out what about a Human and its soul that made it stronger than a monster’s. Eventually, he would discover how to destroy the barrier if everything went alright. The only problem now is that he has a little bones and a baby bones to care for, which may get in the way of his research….

“Alright into your bed so I can put the side rails up,” Gaster instructed in a soft voice, watching his young charge climb into the toddler bed. “Very good, young man.”

“No tuckies, Gastah?” Sans whimpered, laying down with his teddy in his arms and his thumb was already in-route to his mouth.

“Sans, we’re getting a bit big for such little words and childish desires such as tucking in,” Gaster responded, not unkindly as he draped the fleece blanket over the little skeleton and raised the guard rails on the bed. “Get some rest, Sans.”

“Night, Gastah…” Sans called as his guardian turned out the lights and flipped the switch for the stars to project on the ceiling.

“Goodnight, Sans,” Gaster responded sweetly before closing the door.

As Sans laid in bed, his mind wandered to Chara, the human girl that the King and Queen had taken in. He supposed he shouldn’t be afraid of humans since Chara’s been nice so far. Even knowing that he couldn’t shake the feeling that something or another was lurking in his room. It also hadn’t escaped his notice that Gaster hadn’t carried him to bed, even though the scientist had laid the baby bones down beforehand. Sans couldn’t help but feel he had broken his promise to Gaster, that he would be best and brightest skeleton that ever lived. Now, were it not for the rain and snow, he wouldn’t have any moisture in his bones to produce tears but they lived in Snowdin so water sources were aplenty. So Sans cried. In fact, the only reason he slept that night was because he had cried himself out past the point of exhaustion. Despite even reaching a wailing level at one point, Gaster never came to check on him.

Sans was soon to learn a lesson that would forever change his ways and views.


	3. Building Bridges

Gaster wasn’t a bad person, but it took a lot for Sans to remind himself of that fact. When Papyrus was only a year old, Gaster was gone. When Gaster first disappeared, Sans thought it was just another game of hide and seek, a game that Gaster had said was a way to test Sans’ strength and awareness, but it wasn’t long before the older skeleton brother realized Gaster was never to be found again, though he wouldn’t know why until a few years later. To this day, Sans still had his doubts about Gaster but tried to remember the scientist was his father and not just his creator.

“Sans…” A voice called.

Sans came out of his stupor and looked to find Frisk by his side at the cliff. It was dawn and the sun was just starting to creep up on the world like a loving parent not wanting to wake their child but having to all the same because that’s just how life worked.

“Hey, Kiddo,” Sans responded, more than a bit surprised. “What are ya doin’ up this early? Does your Mom know you’re up here?”

Frisk looked down and away, the flush on her face suggesting that she hadn’t told anyone where she was going. She probably saw him leaving and just followed him up…

Sans sighed and chuckled, “I won’t tell if you won’t.”

“I promise!” Frisk agreed with a bright, innocent smile.

 _So unlike Chara…_ Sans thought and shook his head- he didn’t want to compare sweet, little Frisk to the vengeful, demented Chara.

“What were you thinking?” Frisk asked in a quiet voice as they sat down together.

“Huh?”

“You always shake your head after you get lost in thought- especially if it’s something you didn’t want to think about.” Frisk explained, kicking her legs back and forth.

“Don’t know what you’re talkin’ about, pipsqueak.” Sans fibula-ed (ba-dum-ch!).

“Stop lying, Sans.” Frisk pleaded, looking worried and upset.

“I’m not lyin’.”

“Sans, you lie all the time!” Frisk cried, tears forming in her eyes. “I hate it… Even more than Papyrus’s date outfit and that thing is awful.”

“It is pretty terrible, huh?” Sans chuckled as she giggled.

“But seriously, it hurts that you won’t be honest with me… I tell you everything all the time, but, you never even tell me whether you’re really okay or if you’re really upset but don’t want to talk about it…” Frisk pressed, the tears spilling over. “I worry about you, Sans…”

“I know, Kiddo…” Sans sighed.

“Are you okay?”

There was a pause. Sans wasn’t sure he wanted to risk pushing her away to the point that she just avoided him, but he didn’t want to talk about why he wasn’t okay…

“No. No, hun, I’m not okay.” Sans confessed with a grim smile as his pupils faded out of existence.

Before he could think about how and why, Frisk tackle-hugged him again- just like the night before. She cried into his chest as he held her close. His weary mind knew that these were tears of joy because he could also hear little giggles emitting from her as she laid on top of him.

“Thank you…” Frisk sniffled, finally looking up at him.

“No, thank you, hun. I appreciate you’re not makin’ me talk.” Sans corrected.

“I know you, Sansy. You’ll tell me when you’re ready.” Frisk responded, snuggling into his rib cage- which honestly wasn’t as uncomfortable as one might have thought. “You told me about Chara even though you could’ve just let it go or pretend like she never did anything. I feel like you’ll tell me more when you’re ready.”

“Honestly, I think you know me better than I do.” Sans mock-scoffed.

Frisk simply shrugged and giggled. She shifted on top of him so she could watch the sun coming up. Sans never thought he could feel so content or relaxed without forcing himself to calm down, but there in that moment, everything was simple and easy like sleeping…


	4. The One Who Sees With Her Heart

"Hey, Kiddo, can I ask you something?" Sans asks as they walk the mountain trail back to their home.

She nods and smiles in response.

"Why are your eyes always closed?" Sans prompts.

"Uh... I don't really wanna answer that..." Frisk answers, cringing.

"Come on, you can tell me anything." Sans encourages.

"No, Sans... I can't." Frisk sighs.

"Why not?"

"Because you would ask to see them and I know you won't like it." Frisk explains in a level, almost menacing tone.

She stops next to a brook alongside the path and dips her fingers into the chilly water. Sans stays quiet for a moment, contemplating whether he wants to pursue the answers he's looking for or not. He knows the kid has been through a lot, considering the fall into Mt. Ebott doesn't leave a child with wounds and scars like the ones on Frisk. That's not even including all that she endured to even get to the point where they could leave the Under Realm and come to the surface.

"Promise you won't tell anyone and then I'll tell you." Frisk sighs.

"I promise, Frisk. I won't tell anyone." Sans sincerely vows.

"I was born blind... My parents weren't very happy about it. I learned quick though... I guess you could say I'm the type that's eager to please." Frisk starts as Sans notices ripples forming as something falls from her repeatedly- tears, he realizes. "Despite everything I did to be as normal as possible, to bury the weight of this, they still weren't happy. So they brought in the doctors... but no one knew much about blindness... Everything they tried only caused me pain and never got me any closer to seeing the way everyone else does. So now I have scars and I know they're ugly. I've seen other's reactions, I've seen my reflection. It's not pretty."

"I'm sorry, Frisk... That must've been awful." Sans sympathizes, sitting down next to her by the river when a question strikes him. "What do you mean you've seen others reactions and you're reflection? Isn't that impossible if you're blind?"

Frisk sniffs and smiles sadly, drying her hand on her pants.

"Well that's why I wear my heart on my sleeve, so to speak..." Frisk answers, turning her head as if to look him in the eye.

"I'm not really picking up what you're putting down, Kiddo..." Sans admits, rubbing the back of his skull with a bony hand.

"I can see with my soul, my heart. That's why mine is so much more vulnerable... I have to expose it to be able to see what everyone sees without having to use the eyes I was born with." Frisk explains.

Sans stares at the red, glowing heart shining through Frisk, striped sweater and all, and swears he can practically see a set of eyes on it. It's entrancing and unsettling all at once.

"I suppose you want to see them now..." Frisk says quietly.

"If you're alright with that. You've shared a lot already, hun." Sans qualifies.

"It's fine... I trust you..." Frisk responds with another sad smile.

She takes a deep breath and slowly her eyelids draw open. Sans isn't sure what he expected but it certainly wasn't what he's seeing. Her eyes seem like they're made up more of scar tissue than original tissue and they appear bloodshot and strained. Her pupils are fully dilated and unmoving, even as more and more light floods into their reach. Her irises look as though they would be a beautiful earthy brown if they weren't so marred with failed attempts to fix what wasn't really broken to begin with. Instead of seeing disgust or fear, Frisk sees the concern and empathy for her pain, her misunderstood circumstance...

Oh does he know all too well the struggles of being a disappointment.

"I don't understand, Sans..." Frisk breathes, tears filling her fractured eyes and spilling over. "Why aren't you disgusted? Or afraid..? Or even uncomfortable..."

"Because I'm not them, sweetheart." Sans says quietly, the moisture in his bones gathering in his eye sockets and spilling down his bony face. "Come 'ere..." 

Frisk dives, broken eyes wide open, into Sans' embrace. Her tears are already dry as her soul, her heart, and even her brain, agree that this is a joyous occasion that doesn't call for tears. 

"You're the only one who's been so nice to me, Sans..." Frisk tells him.

She curls up in his lap while he rubs her back and rests his jaw on her head.

"What about Tori? And Pap? And all the others?" Sans questions.

"They're nice... They have been good to me, but I don't think I could ever show them something like this, that I could ever tell them what I tell you..." Frisk confesses.

"Fair enough." Sans agrees, letting out a sigh. "I don't react the same because I know the pain you've been through, not quite to your extent, but still..."

"What do you mean, Da-arling Sansy?" Frisk asks, blushing at the thought of what she almost called him. 

Sans smirks but says nothing. He can guess what she wanted to say, after all, that's what Papyrus called him for years when he was a baby bones. 

"I wasn't a normal child... I think I had a mother at one point... but something must've happened and the only parent I remember was a scientist... We weren't very close, but he's the reason I have Pap, so that counts towards him..." Sans answers, hoping the kid doesn't pry for details.

"What did he do?" Frisk cautiously inquires, sensing Sans' hesitation.

"He experimented on us... Something went wrong... I don't really remember... it was so long ago... So many timelines have passed since then..." Sans stammers, struggling to collect his fragmented memories.

"It's okay, Sans..."

He takes a deep breath and forces himself to remember the most important details. 

"He was playing with our souls... He was the Royal Scientist... I remember pain, uncertainty... I was lost in a strange world for what felt like an eternity but I was just a baby bones, all I could do was cry to no one. Not that he listened at first... It took him awhile to feel bad about what he was doing and then any little poke and he was apologizing... But before he started feeling sorry for what he was doing, he broke me... Or maybe I broke myself... For all I know we both ruined me..." Sans recalls, a bit spaced out as his eye glows dully. "Monsters are naturally weaker, inferior, to humans..."

Frisk stays quiet, waiting for Sans to finish his thought.

"But no monster can truly live with only half a soul."

 


	5. Not Safe

They sat in silence for a moment as Frisk tried to grasp what Sans what saying. She was about to ask him to tell her more, but something felt wrong. She felt like they were being watched. Of course, there were woodland creatures watching them, but the feeling she had was that something else was watching them too and that whatever it was wasn't as innocent and probably shouldn't be there. As Frisk contemplates what could be there, she slowly climbs out of Sans' lap, pulling the skeleton from his memories and thoughts. She turns in a full circle and, as she turns to face Sans, she sees a shadow... No, not a shadow, but a being-for shadows don't have white faces and hands... It is faded like a shadow though, and seems... glitched? How is that even possible?

"Sans, we have to go..." Frisk breathes, closing her eyes to hide them from the specter as her heart races in her chest. 

"What's the matter, Hun?" Sans asks, getting to his feet as the being takes a step forward.

"Sans, we have to run!" Frisk panics, grabbing the skeleton's hand and dashing up the path towards their house.

As they run she looks back to see the specter still standing there. She looks ahead to see their cottage with its tidy picket fence within view and glances back again to see that the specter has moved two feet since she last looked at it.

"Hey, what's got you so strung out, huh?" Sans huffs and puffs, barely keeping up as she runs.

Before she can answer, Frisk stumbles and falls on the ground. The specter has advanced another foot. Then they hear the cottage door open and Toriel comes out, holding a basket of laundry to do.

"Sans?! Frisk?!" Toriel calls.

The mother becomes quite worried as she sees Frisk crying and panicking on the ground, her hands, one knee, and one shin bleeding from the tumble on the gravel. Sans is trying to help her up and settles for carrying her to the house. Whatever she was panicking about must have been bad and he can feel it now, his left eye glowing blue, green and yellow in his discomfort.

"Tori, get in the house!" Sans shouts, teleporting into the cottage.

"Sans, it's there! What does it want?!" Frisk asks in a panicked whisper as her mother joins them at looking through the window.

Sure enough, the specter is standing just outside the fence as if it had manners and didn't want to be considered rude by coming through a closed fence. But as Toriel looks to the spot they seem fixed upon, she sees nothing. As Frisk looks closer, she can see the cracks coming from it's eyes, the one above it's right eye stretching towards the top of its head and the other towards its jaw. 

"I'm afraid to know, baby girl..." Sans murmurs, his grip tightening on her small frame.

"What are you two looking at?" Toriel questions, concerned by the fear and intensity of their reactions.

"We don't know..." Frisk whispers in a hollow tone, not realizing her mother didn't hear her.

"Sans!" Papyrus calls coming out of their room. "What is all the commotion about?"

Sans snaps his focus back to the here and now and snuffs out his glowing eye as he had practiced all those years. He turns towards his baby brother and smiles awkwardly.

"Nothing, Pap, just had a race with Frisk and she got a little scraped up when she tripped on the gravel." Sans lies, giving Frisk's arm a squeeze to encourage her to go along with it.

"Then why did you scare Mrs. Dreemurr?" Papyrus presses, not yet convinced.

"Oh, that?" Sans responds, feeling a little more nervous. "Well, it's just a joke..."

"Yeah," Frisk sniffles as she emits a convincing fake giggle. "Sansy was teasing me cause I was overreacting. He was pretending to go along with my overly dramatic silliness and acting like it was a life or death sort of thing."

"Well, that wasn't a very funny joke, you two." Toriel scolds with her hands on her hips.

"The Great Papyrus agrees. We thought something genuinely terrible was happening." Papyrus chimes in, crossing his arms over his rib cage.

"Thank you, Papyrus but I think I'll handle them myself." Toriel says in a bit kinder tone. "Let's get you patched up, my child."

Toriel extends her arms to take Frisk and is surprised when the child doesn't shift towards her.

"It's alright, Tori, I can carry her." Sans assures her. "She's just trying to punish me for her fall. Ain't that right, pipsqueak?"

Frisk nods, reverting to her normally quiet self. The truth is, and she likes to talk about it even less, that the doctors had done more damage than scarring her eyes. Through all the exams and hair-brained attempts to fix her sight, they ended up damaging her auditory nerves. Some days are better than others for her hearing, but overall she's actually partially deaf. She was still developing her speech when they botched her auditory nerves so she had reverted to sign language, which was taught to her by a special instructor who moved her hands for her to teach her all the signs she needed to learn and on good days she further explained to Frisk what she was having the child sign.

"Alright then. Let's go to the bathroom and I'll get the first aid kit." Toriel reluctantly agrees, a little hurt that her daughter prefers Sans for comfort in this instance.

They all enter the bathroom, Sans sitting on the counter top next to the sink- a double vanity as Toriel likes to boast- with Frisk sitting on his lap while he keeps an arm around her. Papyrus stands to the side and runs a bony hand through her hair as a comforting gesture since her hands need bandaged. It doesn't take Toriel long to clean and bandage Frisk's wounds. Afterward, she sends Frisk to rest- she never said nap, but Frisk could tell that's what she meant. Sans lays her down and tucks her in, nuzzling her and petting her hair. 

"Get some rest, sweetheart. I'll be in the living room." Sans tells her.

Before he backs away, he wills his pupils to change to the shape of a heart and winks at her as she smiles tiredly. Toriel kisses her forehead and ushers everyone out. It's a Saturday so Frisk doesn't have to worry about school or really anything. She lets herself drift off wondering if Sans can will his pupils to change into any two dimensional shape and whether Papyrus can do it too... Soon, she's asleep, but not fully before flashes of the strange being appears in her mind's eye. Meanwhile, Sans is sitting on the couch, ready to snooze when Toriel approaches him.

"I hope you two are alright. If you need anything, just call me or Papyrus. We're headed to the farmer's market for a couple of hours." Toriel says, spreading a throw blanket over Sans.

"We'll be fine. We're both just tuckered out after letting our imaginations run wild and racing each other back here." Sans comforts, nearly ready to pass out.

"Alright, as I said before, call if you need anything. We'll be back in a couple hours." Toriel responds, kissing his forehead and taking her leave to run her errand with Papyrus.

Being such a nice day, Toriel leaves the inner door open so fresh air can enter through the screen door. As she exits the yard with Papyrus, he, in his excitement, neglects to close the gate behind himself. Neither look back to see if it was closed, not that it matters when neither know of the specter outside their home.


	6. The Crooked Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm planning on keeping up with this pretty regularly. I'm excited that it's starting to get a better response than before. If you want me to explore anything in particular or write anything in particular pertaining to Undertale, please let me know in the comments below!  
> Affections,  
> Liz <3
> 
> Stay Determined Everyone!

Frisk startles awake, troubled by nightmares of the being that they left outside their fence. She can't shake the feeling of dread as she throws her covers off and dangles her legs over the edge of her bed. There was a song she learned once as a toddler, it was a nursery rhyme, but as she got older she grew less and less fond as she began to understand the words. She recalls the title as "The Crooked Man." It seemed so innocent at first but then more was added to it and the simple little rhyme grew darker and darker. Frisk supposes that just shows the true colors of humanity that they could take something virginal and dement it to such a level. She climbs out of bed and pads over to her door. As she starts the trek down the hall to the living room, she feels something a bit stronger than dread.

_There was a crooked man who walked a crooked mile..._

Frisk moves a little faster until she sees the specter inching towards Sans, who's deeply asleep on the couch.

_He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked Stile...._

"NO!!!" She shrieks, frozen in terror. "You can't have him!"

_He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse..._

The specter pauses and quirks its head to the side, either confused or surprised by her response.

_And they all lived together in a little crooked house..._

"Daddy! Wake up!!" Frisk screeches dashing over to Sans. "PLEASE! WAKE UP! THE CROOKED MAN"S IN THE HOUSE!"

The specter backs up a step, glitching a little more spastically as Sans starts to arouse from his deep slumber.

Sans is startled by Frisk clutching onto his jacket for dear life, nearly in tears but clearly too terrified to allow herself to breakdown.

"Hey, hey, shhh..." Sans soothes, hugging her to his chest. "What's the matter, baby girl?"

"He's right behind you, Daddy!" Frisk alerts him in a horrified whisper. "The crooked man's right there!"

Before she can register what's happening, Sans is holding her like a toddler and standing at the end of the hallway closest to the living room. His one eye glowing a livid blue. But he doesn't look so much as terrified as he does angry or upset...

"You should've stayed down there, old man." Sans tells the being. 

Suddenly, the figure smiles. Sans can't tell what it means and he knows Frisk, who's more in tune to the minute changes in a person's expressions, isn't about to look to explain it to him. So Sans goes with what he knows, shifts all of Frisks weight to his right arm and uses his left hand to send his energy to enclose the spectral figure in glowing blue as he yanks it from its place and walks it out the front door. He aims it up high, higher than the oak trees and slams it hard on the ground. When he starts to pull the figure closer to himself, Sans finds himself sweating from the effort of fighting the resistance. Suddenly, almost as if he had been pulling on a champagne cork and not a being that was supposed to be trapped in the void, the spectral figure seems to pop right into reality with the illusions of being a shadow or glitch completely gone as it slams face first into the ground at Sans' feet. 

"Thank you." He says as he pulls himself off the ground and dusts himself off.

Before 'he' can get anything else out, Frisk is screeching at the top of her lungs. Her grasp on Sans tightening until her knuckles are white.

"Baby girl, look at me," Sans says, his pupils returning to normal as he gently turns her face with his bony left hand to meet his eye sockets. "Hey, shhh, it's alright. I know that was messed up and freaky, but it's okay..."

"No... No! He's the crooked man I kept seeing! He's going to kill us!" Frisk sobs, setting her jaw in an attempt to keep her emotions under control. "He's been following us for years!!! He's always been hiding! Watching us!"

"Yes, child, I was, but-" He starts to say, frowning at the reaction.

"Shut up, Dad." Sans snaps before turning his attention back to Frisk. "Baby girl, he's harmless, he's not some horror movie character. Yeah, he's kind of a creeper, always has been, but he's not gonna do anything to you. I won't let that happen. I promise."

As Frisk sniffles, about to respond, Toriel and Papyrus are running towards the house in a panic, having heard Frisk's scream as they were getting closer to home- for someone who almost prefers to be mute, she certainly has a set of lungs on her. All three look towards them as they stop just inside the gate, both ready to fight the stranger between them and the rest of their family. 

"Hello," He greets, trying to appear friendly. "I am Dr. W. D. Gaster. A pleasure to see you all again."

"Gaster...?" Toriel repeats, uncomfortable with the memories associated with that name.

"Yes, my queen." Dr. Gaster confirms with a deep bow. "I'm honestly surprised you recognised me, for time and the void have not been kind to me."

"Not that they should have been after what you've done..." Toriel responds. "And I'm not queen of anything. I gave that up a long time ago."

"I deserve that." Dr. Gaster accepts, cringing a bit as he stands up straight. "My apologies. I am a bit dated."

"What did you do to my daughter?" Toriel demands as she watches Sans holding and rocking her as if she were just a fragile little baby.

"Unfortunately, I gave her a bit of a fright." He answers, frowning woefully. "I did not mean to scare her, but it's rather hard not to when you're glitched and only half in the universe. Are you aware that she is a bit broken?"

"Broken? What do you mean?" Toriel demands, crossing the yard to her daughter with Papyrus on her heels.

"She is blind and scarred on her eyes. The humans, her people, scarred her. She is also partially deaf, which is why she speaks with her hands sometimes, because she is afraid that if she speaks when her hearing fades out that she'll speak incorrectly. I assume that fear is conditioned by her own kind to keep her in line and acting as they desire her too." Dr. Gaster informs her.

"How do you know that's true?" Toriel presses, rubbing her daughter's back with a hand on Sans' shoulder.

"He's been spying on us in his downtime." Sans answers flatly. "He overheard Frisk telling me about how she's blind. The rest I guess he pieced together himself."

"You're coming in with us only so I can keep and eye on you." Toriel states.

"The Great Papyrus shall keep you safe, Frisk." Papyrus promises as she weakly shakes her head at her mother's suggestion.

"Sans, what in the world have you done to your brother?" Dr. Gaster asks, both amused and disappointed by the outcome of the younger of the two.

They all make their way into the house towards the living room with Gaster behind everyone. Gaster takes a seat in one of the arm chairs and Toriel sits in the other arm chair. Sans and Papyrus take a seat on the couch with Frisk tucked safely into the older skeleton's arms.

"I took care of him, which is a lot more than I can say for you." Sans remarks bitterly, softening his tone as he comforts the human he regards as his daughter. "You're alright, baby girl. I've got ya. I'm not going anywhere."

"How are you here?" Toriel questions, getting right down into it.

"Do you want the lengthy, thorough explanation or the simple summary?" Dr. Gaster asks.


	7. Terrible Sleep Movie #2

Sans just turned six and celebrated his birthday with Gaster, Papyrus and the other scientists. Papyrus was about to turn a year old in three days. Sans was playing with Papyrus in the living room of their small two bedroom home. Gaster was locked away in his bedroom, though it was more of an at home lab than anything. There were strange glowing lights that looked almost like what you might see on a drug trip or at a rave. Sans never bothered Gaster if those lights were happening because the scientist tended to get very upset and sometimes very angry if his work was interrupted. Besides, Sans already knew how to take care of Papyrus himself. 

"Hi, Papy! My name is Mr. Hoots!" Sans sleepily greeted, waving a stuffed owl in front of his baby brother. "Who-who likes hugs?"

Papyrus giggles, clumsily clapping his tiny bony hands together. He makes grabby hands at the super soft and cuddly plush, which his big brother happily hands over to him. After snuggling with the plush for only a minute or so, Papyrus tosses it to the side and reaches for Sans. Once again, Sans happily obliges him and takes his baby brother in his arms. He lifts the baby bones up above his head and back down repeatedly before snuggling the tiny skeleton to his pajama clad chest. It's was a few hours ago that they had dinner with Gaster, but he figures that, as Papyrus starts to whine, it's probably time for the youngest to eat again so they can both go to bed since Sans is getting dangerously close to just fall asleep right there on the floor. The older skeleton would never forgive himself if he fell asleep and allowed Papyrus to get into dangerous things.

"Papy, are ya ready for a bottle?" Sans yawned, getting to his bony feet and carrying his brother with him to the kitchen.

"Heh-eh!" Papyrus enthused, bouncing in his brother's arms.

It didn't take long for Sans to heat up a bottle of milk for his brother and soon they were cuddled in Sans bed with the rails up while Papyrus drank his bottle. Sans allowed himself to doze, hoping to get as much sleep as he could before the little guy would wake him up around 6 am. Sans isn't sure how long he actually slept before he startled awake from the typical nightmare of being lost in the void as a baby bones.

All he knew was that the house was eerily quiet.

Sans climbed out of bed, leaving the rails up for Papyrus. He tip-toed to his door and slipped out. Upon reaching Gaster's door, Sans noticed that there wasn't any lights from behind it. His left eye glowed an ominous, bright blue with worry because usually Gaster left his desk lamp on after falling asleep jotting down his notes- which was and every night thing. But something was wrong and Sans could feel it. He was much more advanced than most kids his age, Gaster estimated somewhere with in the fifth to eighth grade. All the knowledge that he held within his tiny skull helped in many situations, but this was one that didn't think he'd know what to do about. He crept to the door and listened for Gaster's snoring, but no sound came. It was unsettling, terrifying... Sans knocked and knocked, getting louder each time.

"Gaster?!" Sans called, waiting for some sort of sign the scientist was there.

After knocking a couple more times, Sans' calls became louder and more frantic, reverting to what he swore he would never call the scientist since the day the skeleton man broke him...

"Daddy!!!" Sans called, but no one came...

He gave up, tears spilling from his eyes. He ran to his room and got dressed in a white t-shirt, athletic shorts, his favorite fuzzy blue zip up hoodie, socks and slippers. He packed a bag almost as big as him. He wrapped Papyrus up and made a sling with a red scarf that Gaster never told him the origins of- always changing the subject or saying that he couldn't explain where it came from. He tucked Papyrus inside, freezing when he heard knocking on the front door. One of the neighbors must have heard him... Sans looks out the window, pushing it open and carefully dropping out. From there, they ran, only looking back once as cries for help rang from Gaster's home. 


	8. The Wrong Kind of Help at the Wrong Time

It took months-five to be exact- for Frisk to relax and know that Gaster wasn't the wicked entity that his stalking as a phantom had made him seem like. Despite having built a small one person cottage for the good doctor in the side yard farthest from the side of the house where Frisk's room sits and always have Gaster on routine to be around only when Frisk is accompanied, everyone can tell she's still walking on eggshells. And then one day, something happened... They all felt the shift. It started with what they thought was a combination of a solar eclipse and a blackout.

"Aaahh!" Frisk screeched, falling to her hands and knees. "Dad?! Mom?! What's going on?!"

Sans was at her side in an instant.

"I don't know, Hun," Sans answered, teleporting them to a doorway as the cottage started to shake.

"Sans, don't lie to your daughter," Gaster scolds from the kitchen, calmly making a cup of tea. "I thought I was around long enough to teach you better than that."

He watches as Toriel grabs his youngest, runs, and braces herself and Papyrus in the doorway across from Sans and Frisk.

"Well, if you know what this is, then why don't you explain, O Wise One?!" Toriel snaps, holding Papyrus close and keeping an eye on Frisk and Sans.

"It's a reset." Gaster announces, his words cutting through the air like a freshly sharpened knife through a sheet of paper. "I thought you would've recognized the signs by now."

Suddenly everything goes white and silent as if none of them are there. The sheer confusion overwhelms them, except Sans and Gaster, who stare each other down the entire time, and they blackout. 

"If this is a reset, then why aren't we all the way back at square one?" Sans questions, cradling Frisk against his chest.

Their surroundings settle and 'the power comes back on,' so to speak. As they look around, Sans recognizes Toriel's humble home in the ruins. They were plopped just outside the entrance to her home.

"Because you never made it to the surface before." Gaster explains. "An unprecedented action calls for an unprecedented reaction."

"But who reset us? And how could they affect us if we're on the surface?" Sans demands, growing irritated with his father. "Only Frisk has the power to reset everything!"

"Is that really true? Clearly someone or something has the very same power." Gaster challenges. "This mountain is cursed, Sans. You and your surrogate family didn't put enough distance between you and it. It was unwise to settle at the base of the mountain."

"We didn't have much of a choice!" Sans spits. "The humans didn't know we were out and we didn't know how they'd react. Not to mention my baby girl had just gone through hell. That's not even putting into consideration that she's blind and partially deaf!"

"Shame on you, Sans," Gaster scolds, crossing his arms over his chest. "I understand using the hell she survived as reason to settle for a time, but you of all people know that a handicap, no matter how legitimate doesn't have to stop anyone if they really need or want something."

Sans pauses, realizing how annoyingly true his father's words are. He can't argue when he's had firsthand experience with that situation, both on a need and want basis. He's pulled from his thoughts as Frisk stirs in his arms. She groans lets her head lilt against his shoulder.

"Easy there, kitten." Sans soothes, nuzzling the top of her head. "I'm right here. I didn't let go for even a second."

"Daddy?" Frisk breathes, starting to recognize her surroundings as she looks around.

The tree that almost always seems bare, the orange leaves everywhere, the crumbling look of things, and the quaint, warm feel of a tiny, familiar place.

"Hey, sweet cheeks." Sans responds, tucking her hair behind her ear. "How ya feelin?"

"A little sore..." She answers. "Why are we at mom's old home?"

"There was a reset, Hun... We don't know who did it or why, but it got us... Your grandpa thinks we weren't far enough away from the magic of Mt. Ebott to avoid being affected. If he's right, Alphys, Undyne and the others are back down here too. Some of the monsters who passed away before we got out might also be back." Sans somberly explains. "We're not sure what exactly happened since that's the first time we ever made it to the surface and the first time a reset's undone that progress..."

"I'm sorry, Daddy! I promised we wouldn't have to go back and now we are..." Frisk apologizes.

"Hey now, it's not your fault." Sans assures her. "You couldn't have known anyone would try and do this. None of us knew there was anyone left who could do a reset."

"I'm still sorry cause I did promise..." Frisk insists, cuddling into him as she mopes.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, baby girl." Sans teases.

After awhile, Toriel and Papyrus awaken, just as confused (if not more so) as Frisk. Gaster and Sans explain what they do know and the small family gathers a plan. They'll get settled in for the time being so they can still feed themselves and whatnot while they look for answers and see who all is back with them. They start by getting into the house and assessing the sleeping accommodations. Sans will sleep with Frisk (upon her insistence), Papyrus will have his own room, and Toriel will have hers. Gaster decided previously to go back to his former lab in the core. The sooner he could analyze any information he could find, the better. Not to mention, Gaster and Sans are the most well equipped to ward off any threats so his trip to his lab will also serve as a scouting mission. It doesn't take long before they settle into a routine and discover that everyone that was alive and well when Frisk came down is back in the underground, alive and well. They explain to the others the same theory as to what happened and everyone does their best to resume their lives from before the reset. 

After a month or so, Sans and Papyrus surprise the others with a 'new home,' which is really just their old home in Snowdin renovated to have four bedrooms and one bathroom. With the unease of being back in the underground and living in the lonely ruins, it's a welcome change to have neighbors and a shorter trek to get necessities. Gaster comes over on rare occasions to check in on everyone and report on any new findings- or so he claims. In reality, the scientist was plotting. The search for the cause of and reason for the reset has and still is going at a snail's pace. With that being a slow and less than entertaining affair, Gaster has settled on a new task. One that may make his sons at least appreciate him if not love and accept him back into their lives. There is something about Frisk that has the skeleton brothers completely hooked, adoring almost everything she does- even if it's annoying. But there's always a sad undertone to their interactions since everyone is constantly dancing around their sympathy for her miserable past with her own kind and the scars and defects that remind everyone of it. So Gaster figures Frisk is the key to making them love him again. Sans always said that raising Papyrus made him feel useful, a sense of having a place and now he is reliving the role with Frisk as his 'adopted daughter.' That is what sparks Gaster's plan.

One night, in what they estimate to be mid-November, Gaster goes to Snowdin and visits the house while Papyrus and Frisk are asleep. Sans is at Grillby's (and not the only one with shortcuts, thank you) and Toriel is reading in the living room. Gaster speaks with Toriel about taking Frisk out for a surprise that he supposedly arranged with (for) Sans and that his eldest son is waiting for them. Toriel, having forgiven Gaster and come to trust him again, gives him her blessing to wake Frisk and take her with him. Soon, he is teleporting from the house to his lab. He explains to Frisk that Sans will meet them shortly, but that he wants to get started in order to truly surprise his son. She agrees, knowing Sans has been on high alert ever since the reset. He leads her to a bed and says she can rest there while he gets set up. Still half asleep, Frisk takes him up on his offer, not realizing there's an ominous looking machine ready to envelope the bed at a moment's notice. As she starts to fall asleep, he sorts through the procedures and calculations he had worked through to make himself look busy (since he already has all of it memorized by now). Once Gaster is sure she's asleep, he slowly lowers the machine over the bed. The machine does it's job in what Gaster dares to call his record time, compared to his previous inventions, and as the good(?) doctor gets ready to raise the mechanism from over the bed, Sans comes storming in, eye glowing furiously.

"You bastard! What did you do to her?!" Sans shouts, ready to rip the lab apart at the first wing-ding out of his so-called father.

"Sans, please, you'll wake her." Gaster gently scolds, wishing the surprise to go more to the plan than not.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO MY BABY GIRL?!" Sans yells, knocking Gaster over and pinning him to the floor with one of the vacant mattresses. 

Gaster doesn't bother to answer, using his powers to trigger the lever to lift the machine from the bed as a baby's cries resound through the lab.

Sans freezes, staring at Gaster with some mixture of shock, awe, anger, and terror. After a moment, he rushes over to the bed to see a an almost premature looking baby girl partly covered in Frisks clothes. As he looks closer, he recognizes that the baby girl before him is in fact Frisk, but the scars are gone...

"All visual evidence has been erased and your girl is still there, but locked away. I couldn't repair her hearing so she's still partially deaf with good days and bad and she's still blind since it's woven into her DNA, but she's practically a new born." Gaster explains, getting to his feet as Sans yanks his jacket off himself and carefully swaddles Frisk in it.

His baby girl calms down as senses him, her soul once again shining through her and being her eyes. She coos at Sans and closes her eyes, much more content than before. It doesn't take long before she falls asleep.

"What were you thinking, old man?" Sans questions, unsure of how he really feels about the situation.

"Sans, she is your whole world. I see that. I know I never did much good for you so I'm trying to make up for that. I've seen the pain on your face and in your soul every time you face the reminders of what her people did to her. I made an effort to remove that pain from you and her own pain at having such a horrible past by giving her a fresh start. You're a nurturing soul, Sans, so I've given you someone to nurture. Someone you seem to love more than anything or anyone else in any universe." Gaster elaborates, crossing over to his son. "I tried to do something good for you, something to make you happy."

"I appreciate the effort, but you might have ruined us..." Sans responds, concern and hurt all over his features.

"I don't understand, Son..." Gaster confesses.

"She's more vulnerable than ever now..." Sans further explains. "Not only that, but... Flowey's back, Dad... He's tried to kill her before and Chara might be back, he might be in league with that bastard. Frisk is the only one that can defeat them. I've tried, but Chara could reset like Frisk can. There's only so much I can do with half a soul."

"Well, now you have your dad to protect you and to take care of them. You know what I'm capable of." Gaster responds, carefully embracing his son so as not to squish the delicate baby in the shorter skeleton's arms.

"Even you can't kill evil itself." Sans corrects.


	9. A Fresh Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm pretty much going with the strategy of posting what I have and just updating it as I go. I'd rather put up something over nothing any day.

It's very early morning when Sans reaches the front of the house in Snowdin. The lights are on, which means Toriel is definitely up, if not Papyrus as well. Sans sighs as he thinks of how worried she must've been when they hadn't come home as soon as she had expected. He had to talk to Gaster about the technicalities to his daughter's situation. Would she age once a year or would she experience accelerated timeline since it was science-induced? What about her age? What should he expect? When would she start getting memories of her other life back? It was all so much that it took hours to get even the basics squared away. As Sans reaches for the doorknob, Frisk starts to awaken and whine. Based on the time and his understanding of babies, she's probably starting to get hungry. He takes a deep breath and opens the door. Toriel is pacing in the living room.

"Oh my god! Sans!" Toriel shouts in relief, causing Frisk to devolve into tears at the sudden change in atmosphere. "What happened? Where were you? Why do you have a baby? Where's Frisk?"

"Hey, hey, shhh, it's alright, sweet pea." Sans coos, gently kicking the door shut as he soothes his daughter. "It's just your Ma."

Toriel is silent, having her speculations but wanting to hear Sans say it.

"Turns out the old man just wanted to do something nice, but he botched the timing a bit considering the situation." Sans explains as Frisk calms back down to whining. "I was out at Grillby's. I took a shortcut home to cuddle up with Frisk and make sure she was sleepin' alright to find she wasn't there. I had a hunch she had went with him since he had started trying to get close to her and he knew how attached she is to me. So when I got to the lab, I found her like this..."

"Why would Gaster do such a thing? How is that being nice?" Toriel demands in a much quieter volume.

Sans shrugs and answers, "Because he knows how much she means to me and how much of a painful reminder all her scars were. They're all gone now. Come and take a look."

Toriel approaches them as Frisk's head lolls in her direction, her blank stare indicating that she still can't see. But her soul is seeing for her and taking it all in. As Frisk catches sight of Toriel, she coos and giggles a little, making the goat woman's heart melt. As Toriel looks closer, she sees the lack of scars and is relieved.

"That's right, baby girl. That's Mama." Sans encourages, rocking her in his arms.

Before Toriel can ask for any details about the situation, Papyrus walks out of his room and sees them standing in the living room. He rushes down the steps and looks over the three of them.

"Sans, who is that tiny human and why are they wrapped in your coat? Does Frisk know you have it?" Papyrus questions.

"This is Frisk, Pap. I had to keep her warm on the way home." Sans supplies, holding her a little closer. "Dadster thought that his gift to us would be a fresh start for our little surface angel."

"So that tiny human is our tiny human?" Papyrus clarifies.

"Yeah, Pap. We need to get her fed." Sans agrees, leading them to the kitchen.

"I'll get her a bottle." Toriel volunteers, pulling out one of Papyrus's old bottles from one of the cabinets.

"Thanks, Tori." 

As Toriel grabs the milk from the fridge and fills the bottle, Frisk starts to cry, wriggling within the confines of Sans' jacket.

"Sans, why is she crying?" Papyrus asks, feeling the sound tug at his soul.

"She's hungry, bro. She doesn't know how to tell us any other way. You did the same thing when you were a baby bones." Sans chuckles, rocking her in his arms.

"Oh... That makes sense. I could make her my spaghetti! It always manages to cheer her up!" Papyrus comments.

Toriel shakes her head and giggles as she warms the bottle on the stove.

"I'm afraid you can't, Papyrus. She's too young." Toriel explains. "She doesn't have any teeth to chew and she can't just swallow it because she would choke."

"Are all tiny humans this helpless?" Papyrus wonders aloud.

"Yeah, Pap, any baby is pretty helpless as first cause they're still growing." Sans explains. "Like I said before, you were too."

Toriel takes the bottle from the stove and hands it over to Sans. He takes it and goes back to the living room, settling in on the couch as he starts to feed her. Her eyes are fixed on him, as if she weren't blind but he knows it's only because she can feel which side of her is leaned against him. He starts to hum a song he heard on the radio while he was still on the surface as Toriel and Papyrus join them. 

"I want to live where soul meets body And let the sun wrap its arms around me and Bathe my skin in water cool and cleansing And feel, Feel what it's like to be new," Sans begins to sing in a soft voice.

Toriel looks to Papyrus, who seems to feel a bit out of place. She feels bad for the younger skeleton because she knows it was always just him and Sans until Frisk came along and needed the older skeleton like he hadn't been needed in years. Papyrus just looks so... Uncomfortable... She supposes it's always been like that since Frisk joined their little family but that it's probably more noticeable now that Frisk only wants Sans. Which is honestly natural because she's come to see him as her father and therefore her main affections and attachments lie with the one who cares for her the most.

"I do believe it's true That there are roads left in both of our shoes But if the silence takes you Then I hope it takes me too," Sans continues to sing, adjusting his grip on the bottle. "So brown eyes I'll hold you near 'Cause you're the only song I want to hear. A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere, Where soul meets body, Where soul meets body, Where soul meets body..."

 

Frisk fusses, spitting out the bottle and refusing to open her mouth again. Sans chuckles and lays her against his shoulder.

"What's the matter, baby girl?" Sans coos, gently patting and rubbing her back. "You got some air in there?"

Just as he expected she burps and yawns, seeming much more content than before. Much to Toriel's disappointment, Sans doesn't seem to notice the change in Papyrus's disposition. Toriel is tempted to say something about it, but she's afraid to embarrass Papyrus.

"The... the- uh... I-I'm going to go make some breakfast." Papyrus stammers, getting up and leaving before anyone can respond.

"Pap?" Sans calls, confused by his brother's sudden absence. 

"Sans, I would like to speak with you while it's just us." Toriel tells him.

"Sure, what's up, Tori?" Sans submits, re-positioning Frisk to lay cradled in his body arms.

"I think Papyrus is feeling a little... Well, left out." Toriel says.

"Oh..." 

"I think it's because it's always been you and him until Frisk came. Now that she's practically your sole focus, he seems a bit dejected." 

"I can't help it, Tori, she's literally helpless right now." Sans gently defends.

"I know that, but Papyrus has never raised a child like you have. He doesn't understand the requirements." Toriel patiently points out. "Besides, he's always been the youngest, so he doesn't know how the whole big brother thing goes. He doesn't know his place in all this."

Sans thinks on this as he watches Frisk slowly fall asleep. He supposes that with as much as she'll be sleeping, the majority of the day really, that he should put forth an effort to spend more time with his brother. Maybe he should also talk to Papyrus about all these things and make sure the younger skeleton knows that he's not being cast out or anything. Besides, he still needs to tell both of them the expectations for Frisk's development. Thankfully for their precarious situation- with being on the hitlist of two genocidal beings- Frisk's development will be on an accelerated timeline since it was the result of magic and science. 

"I'll talk to him." Sans informs her. "Besides, at some point, I need to explain the whole situation anyway. Turns out Dadster did think of our predicament with Chara and Flowey hunting us."

Suddenly, there's a bit of a draft in the room before it goes back to the normal temperature. Gaster walks from the front door to the couch in the living room.

"My theoretical ears were burning." Gaster informs them with a chuckle.

Toriel stares at him unamused and Sans rolls his eyes.

"I'm none too happy with you, Mister." Toriel alerts him, crossing her arms over her chest. "I trusted that you were telling me the truth and you lied through your teeth."

"I suppose it was a lie of omission since I did not explicitly tell you what my plans were." Gaster admits, looking like the cat that ate the canary. "I apologize for not being entirely forthcoming but I wished it to be a surprise. Besides, it all worked out fine so far."

"But what about safety?" Toriel presses. "Frisk can't defend herself now and there's two beings that would love nothing more than kill her and everyone she loves."

"I have already thought of that, my lady." Gaster assures her. "With Dr. Alphys's help, I have set up more cameras than ever in the underground and made them much more discreet. My own cellular device has an application to alert me should the images of either of the aggressors appear anywhere there is a camera. They can be apprehended and then properly dealt with."

"Gaster, I don't think you understand who you will be dealing with. I, Asgore, Sans, Papyrus and Undyne, even Mettaton and Napstablook, are some of the toughest monsters down here and none of us could stop them." Toriel corrects him.

"Oh, but I have studied the footage of their battles with all of you. While those you listed are some of the strongest around, you failed to come together to defeat them. Even then I understand that a human soul is outrageously strong with all their determination. But there is something you've never known about me. There's a reason for the cracks in my skull," Gaster responds. "The determination pills I created are quite effective if one has the patience to take them slowly  over time. The only real problem is that after a certain point in time, the determination was starting to take a toll on my physical being, much the way that cancer or radiation would do to a human. I had been taking them for years in small doses on a regular basis before I ever experimented on Sans."

Sans cringes, recalling those awful pills and all the procedures he was put through. He glares at his father.

"I know, I am sorry. I really do apologize. I was wrong to have done that. I didn't grasp that back then because I was such a fool and blinded by the desire for progress and the strange effects the determination pills had on me." Gaster sincerely apologizes, taking a seat next to his son. 

"Did they work as you designed them to?" Toriel questions.

"Yes, but as I had pushed myself to become as strong as I could muster and meeting the level that all of you have reached, I hadn't recognized any differences in myself." Gaster elaborates. "That is when I sinned beyond comprehension and started experimenting on my own child."

"What exactly did those pills do to you?"

"Well they strengthened my defenses and my attacks. They even gave me new attacks. But..." Gaster hesitates, unsure of whether he should share this next fact.

"But what?" Sans pushes, noticing the guilty aura around his father.

"But it also gave me strange new powers... Ones that I've never had before, though one only activates when I'm close to death and only effects my immediate surroundings..." 

"What is it?" Sans continues to push, irritated by his father's lack of forth coming after all the progress he started to make.

"I was granted, only after my stay in the void, the power of what I can only describe as a miniature reset." Gaster confesses. "Like I said, it only activates when I am close to death and it doesn't effect much outside of my immediate surroundings. For example, if I were to be close to turning to dust here and now, It would appear. From there it would return me to the last time I was at full health in this room, the last saved point in the timeline."

"So you're telling me you have the power to save whenever you please and reset when you're close to death?" Sans presses.

"Yes." Gaster answers simply.

"Do you still have the pills?" Sans asks in all seriousness.

Gaster and Toriel look at each other in shock and discomfort. No one was ready for this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys/gals/hoomans like this or feel like there's something you wanna see or whatever, please do let me know in the comments. I typically don't put as much energy into something that doesn't seem to get a response so unless I have an idea of whether ya'll like it or not, it may get sidelined and the wait for an update may be months... Now, I'm not saying you have to praise me or whatever, you can say if you don't like it too, but whatever your thoughts are, let me know.  
> Anyways, hope you're enjoying thus far.  
> Affections,  
> Liz <3  
> Stay Determined Everyone!


	10. A Debatable Gift

It's been a couple months since Frisk's timeline was manipulated to rewind her back to infancy. She is now estimated to be around 7 to 9 months old. She's sitting up on her own, trying to talk, crawling, and always two seconds away from throwing a fit if Sans tries to go anywhere or do anything with out her, though she'll sometimes settle for Toriel caring for her. In the months since her regression, Gaster had been leaving supplies and gifts for Frisk. The supplies the good doctor has given them has ranged from things as simple as diapers, formula, pacifiers and jars of pureed for specifically for an infant's delicate stomach to baby carriers (Sans' personal favorite considering his arms get tired a lot these days), activity gyms, and play pens. As for the gifts, they could be anything practical like clothes that even Toriel gushes over to stuffed animals to age appropriate toys like blocks and simple shape puzzles (Papyrus approved of those). Where he is getting things from is still a mystery to all of them, even Sans. Despite the suspicions everyone has about Gaster's sources and motives, all are quite relieved to have the help in caring for their darling little girl. On the downside, Sans has been taking the determination pills twice a week since the day Gaster revealed his unique abilities. The side effects for him (after the initial feeling of being on fire and impending death) have been particularly brutal varying from vomiting to seemingly incurable fatigue coupled with his usual insomnia. To make matters worse, Gaster's latest gift is not as enjoyable as the previous ones as Sans opens the door to Gaster holding a flower pot with... guess who?

Flowey.

"What are you doing with that and why is it in a flower pot?" Sans asks, a flat tone to his voice as Frisk cries in his arms.

The poor girl's been teething and so far she's been having a bad time. Sans digs a pacifier out of his hoodie's pocket and pops the sanitary cover off. He edges it into Frisk's mouth and sighs in relief as she calms down and takes to teething the silicone nub.

"I thought you would be more relieved." Gaster admits, following Sans' inside after making sure the door is shut.

"Let me out of this fucking pot, you idiot!" Flowey demands loudly, a demonic look on his face.

Frisk sees the terrifying flower and hears it's naughty words and the reaction is almost instantaneous. She begins to bawl loudly with tears streaming down her chubby little face as she clings to Sans. As for her dear father, he's staring murderously at the flower with his left eye glowing.

"Hey, weed, you wanna have a bad time?" Sans offers, practically dying for Flowey to say yes.

"I wouldn't advise it." Gaster counters, setting the flower pot on the end table next to the couch as Flowey cringes in his permanent, portable home. "I have devised an anti-determination pill that can reverse the effects of determination, primarily the ability to save and reset. It also weakens the attacks of the one who takes it. Flowey is my proof that it works. If you were to kill him now, he would never live again."

Sans grabs a clean pacifier from the coffee table and manages to get Frisk to suck on it. He bounces and rocks her while humming a melody. He pauses his humming as his eyes return to normal.

"I'd be alright with that." Sans comments, starting to hum again.

"Sans, is she doing alright?" Toriel calls, coming out of the bathroom and downstairs in her robe. "Gaster? What...?"

"She's just a little shook up." Sans answers.

He's relieved as Frisk calms down and leans her head on his shoulder, looking exhausted.

"What is that demon flower doing in our home?" Toriel interrogates, crossing her arms over her chest and staring the scientist down.

No one has had the heart to tell her that the demon flower is actually an incarnation of her son.

"He is very infuriating, fowl-mouthed and bad tempered, but I can assure you he is essentially harmless now." Gaster corrects her, gesturing to the pouting buttercup.

"Who are you calling harmless, you broken phantom?!" Flowey rages.

"You're being rude, Flower." Gaster scolds, facing the buttercup with his eyes glowing before returning his features to normal and facing the others.

As Flowey notices both Toriel and Sans staring him down as well, he cowers, coiling in on himself. Sans sits down on the edge of Frisk's red and white polka-dot blanket and sets her in his lap so she can play.

"I don't care if he is harmless, he's not allowed to stay in the house if he's going to be terrorizing our little girl." Toriel states, a very unamused look on her face. "And we don't have time for his shenanigans anyhow. We're supposed to be getting ready for the Alphys and Undyne's engagement dinner party at Mettaton's Hotel this afternoon. You should know this, Dr. Gaster, considering you are invited as well."

"I don't think my attendance is wise, Toriel." Gaster confesses, looking quite uncomfortable.

"And why's that?" Toriel presses.

"I'm not exactly a favorite of your group of friends." Gaster stumbles, clearly unused to socializing like a normal being.

"Too bad, Dadster. Frisk has seen ya and if ya leave, she's never gonna forgive ya." Sans remarks, turning back to his daughter. "Isn't that right, baby girl? Grandpa Grumpy Bones has to come too, doesn't he?"

"Papa!" Frisk cheers, getting to her and hands and knees and crawling towards Gaster.

She sits down in front of him and raises her arms to him. Sans shakes his head and chuckles while Toriel giggles.

"Papa!" Frisk giggles, taking a cue from her guardians.

Gaster looks to Sans and Toriel to make sure it's okay that he picks her up. Slowly, while Gaster is trying to interpret the oddly urgent looks on their faces, Frisk's mood deteriorates until she's crying and rubbing at her eyes with her tiny fists. Gaster startles and quickly-but gently- takes Frisk into his arms. He lays her back in his arms and smiles lovingly at her, reminding him of when he used to soothe Sans as a baby. A CD has shown up in the dump and Gaster had listened to it. He had always been a fan of music, not that it was obvious, and he tried to instill that love of a melody into Sans by singing different soothing songs. Gaster gestures to his son to join him on the couch. Sans gives Toriel a confused look, shrugs and joins his father and daughter on the couch. Gaster puts an arm around Sans and continues to cradle Frisk to his chest with his other arm.

"This is the start, this is your heart. This is the day you were born. This is the sun, these are your lungs. This is the day you were born," Gaster sings in a soft, velvety voice as he watches his son slip a pacifier in his granddaughter's mouth and relax into his side. "And I am always yours. These are the scars deep in your heart. This is the place you were born. This is the hole where most of your soul comes ripping out, From the places you've been torn. And it is always yours, But I am always yours Hallelujah, I'm caving in. Hallelujah, I'm in love again. Hallelujah, I'm a wretched man. Hallelujah, every breath is a second chance. And it is always yours. And I am always yours..."

By the time Gaster finishes the song, both Frisk and Sans are sleeping peacefully in his arms. He feels a warmth in his soul that he hasn't felt in years. He knows that Sans probably doesn't remember much of the good times with him, but Gaster can remember every little moment with his first son. From the first time Sans ever smiled or called him 'Dada,' to his first day of school and their last dinner together before he royally screwed up and left his boys scared, alone, and, much to Gaster's horror, homeless and on the run. Oh had he given Asgore a royal verbal beating  for all the hardship his children had endured from the assumptions of him and his guard- Gaster may or may not have said something along the lines of 'Assuming makes an ass out of you and me...' 

"For being a scientist first and foremost, your sure do have a magic touch." Toriel comments quietly, noting that even Flowey has passed curled up in his pot.

"I used to sing to Sans when he was a baby. I did so right up until he turned four. It no longer seemed to work to calm him and help him sleep so I decided not to..." Gaster trails off, regret very clear in his voice and on his face. "I decided not to waste my time and now I regret it deeply. He's such a sweet boy... My first baby... He was the only one I got much time with...."

"Well, not to sound like a broken record, but I think Alphys and Undyne's little get together at the Hotel is probably a step in the right direction with Sans and Frisk. Perhaps even Papyrus will warm up to you more." Toriel suggests.

Almost as if saying his name summoned him, Papyrus comes running down the stairs in the suit that Toriel made him. Toriel smiles warmly at him, putting a finger to her muzzle to let him know it's quiet time. Papyrus gives her the thumbs up and beams back at her. Toriel gestures for him to do a full turn and he obliges.

"You look wonderful, dear. The Great Papyrus is definitely ready to escort Mettaton to the evening's events." Toriel compliments in a quiet voice. "Why don't you go call Mettaton while I get ready and we'll see what time he'll be here to head out with us."

Papyrus nods, holding a bony hand over his mouth to contain his excitement. Toriel shakes her head affectionately as he heads upstairs to her room, which is fine since she has a walk-in closet she can dress in. She turns back to Gaster, who looks more content than she's seen him in quite a while. 

"I'm going to go get ready and then I'll come back to wake those two and get them ready," Toriel informs him with a gentle smile as he blushes. "You should probably run and get ready while they get ready. We'll meet you at the Hotel. If you don't show, I will hunt you down."

Gaster stares at her in shock. He knew she could be tough, but in the past she was never one for something like death threats. He supposes that having a baby to help care for has made her a little tougher. He relaxes at the thought that his son and granddaughter are in good hands and smiles back at her.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Gaster assures her, the sincerity almost tangible. "I've missed enough of their lives and I've got a lot to catch up on and make up for."

"I'm glad to hear it," Toriel tells him with an affectionate smile before she departs to her room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Gaster sings to Frisk and Sans is "Always" by Switchfoot.


	11. Terrible Sleep Movie #3

It took hours of running over a day or two before Sans lost the concerned voices shouting for help, calling their names. He was deep into waterfall with Papyrus sleeping in his arms when he came across the bridge flower seeds and the one path that couldn’t be reached without them that no one would think to go to. So Sans set them in the water one by one, remembering that there was a nice skeleton woman who had shown him this when he was very tiny. If he’s not mistaken, she was probably his mother. He can only hope that’s the case and that one day she’ll come back… She has to come back since Gaster’s gone… Doesn’t she? Sans cleared his mind and looked around. There’s a lonely bench and a single echo flower. He supposed that it’s as good a place as any to settle into.Sans assesses the area and what he might need to make the place more hospitable. They’d need something to create shelter just to be more out of sight should someone come this way. They’d need food too… 

 

“I’m sorry, Paps…” Sans whispered, trying not to cry. “It’s all my fault… I shoulda made Daddy go to bed… I shoulda took ya away sooner…”

 

Papyrus, still sleeping, just cuddled closer to his big brother’s chest. He was blissfully unaware that they were being followed and potentially held responsible for their father’s death. Sans thought back to all the eavesdropping he’d done when his father would talk to his coworkers or King Asgore… None of them wanted Gaster bringing him and Papyrus to the lab, whether he was using them for the determination experiments or not. The King had questioned whether it was a good idea for Gaster to have Sans there because he was too smart… He feared most that the child would die but he also feared that he would do something to sabotage the whole project. No matter what Sans heard, it always came back to the fact that Sans knew too much. He supposes that his father must’ve trusted him immensely to have him as part of the project. Which in a way was the man’s awkward attempt at affection… 

Sans sighed and looked around again. If he could find some branches, he could make a sort of tent using those and the bench. He could go to the dump to find some scrap fabric to make the actual tent… If he waited long enough, he supposed he could always… well, ‘take a shortcut’ back to their dad’s house and grab some stuff… But the bigger problem was when it would be safe. Would anyone be watching the house? What would he do with Papyrus? He couldn’t just leave him at the bench but it wouldn’t be a good idea to bring him along either… What was Sans suppose to do? He removed his backpack and sweatshirt. He made a bed on the ground out of his sweatshirt and laid his baby brother on it. Sans curled into himself and cried. He was too young for all of this… How is he supposed to raise his brother? To make money to get them the things they need? Especially when everyone is looking to capture and potentially kill them?

  
If there’s one thing Sans learned, it’s that not everyone has good intentions, not everyone has kindness and understanding in their souls… 


	12. Anxiety

Gaster grumbles as the front door is kicked by an all too familiar pink, high heeled boot. His control is thoroughly tested as Frisk awakens with tears in her eyes, clearly scared by the sudden commotion and Sans goes into a panic, taking Gaster’s granddaughter away to try and soothe her. To make matters worse, Flowey wakes up as well.

 

“Ha! Good job, you hunk of junk!” Flowey laughs maniacally. “You make babies cry!”

 

“Oh my!” Metaton worries, looking over to Sans bouncing Frisk in his arms. “I’m sorry, Darling! I didn’t think she would be sleeping so close to the party!”

 

“She’s a baby, MTT. She needs sleep and it’s part of her routine to sleep at this hour, even if there is a party happening.” Sans flatly responds.

 

“Sans, Ms. Toriel sent me to see if everything was alright!” Papyrus calls leaving the former Queen’s room and stopping on the stairs as he sees his date. “Metaton! You’re here!”

 

“Oh joy, the other skele-loser.” Flowey comments, earning a glare from Gaster.

 

“It’s all good, Paps.” Sans assures as Frisk calms down to sniffles and hiccups. “There, there, sweet pea. MTT just gets a little overdramatic, huh?”

 

“Overdramatic?!” Metaton demands. “I take offense to that Sans!”

 

“Pay no mind to my brother, Metaton,” Papyrus comforts, hugging his date. “He’s just grumpy like our father now that he’s taking that silly supplement.”

 

“Hey, I take offense to  _ that _ ,” Sans informs them. “And close the freakin’ door! You’re gonna get our baby girl sick!” 

 

“Sorry!” Metaton apologizes as he closes the door.

 

“Are you quite done terrorizing my granddaughter?” Gaster inquires, rising to his feet.

 

Standing perfectly tall, Gaster has at least a few inches on both Metaton and Papyrus, which he loves to use on occasions like this. Metaton looks him in the eye socket without even flinching. This time he’s wearing body hugging black leggings, a flowing white tank top with a choker style collar that has a bow on it and a black half-sleeve blazer with obscene shoulder pads. Gaster stares back, clearly unamused.

 

“Papyrus?” Toriel calls from her room. “Sans? Is everything alright down there?”

 

“Just peachy, Tori!” Sans calls back. “MTT’s havin’ a stare down with Dadster again.”

At that, Toriel quickly makes her way out of her room. She’s wearing a lilac blouse and charcoal pencil skirt with a delicate Delta Rune designed diamond necklace. Sans can’t help staring at her- he’s never seen her so dolled up before. Toriel nearly inserts herself between Gaster and Metaton as she approaches them.

 

“You look amazin’, Tori.” Sans compliments her.

 

“Thank you, Sans.” Toriel responds, crossing her arms over her chest as she looks between Metaton and Gaster. “Now, how about we go incident free tonight? This night is about Undyne and Alphys. No one else. Promise me there will not be any issues tonight between any of you.”

 

“You certainly won’t have to worry about me starting anything, Lady Toriel.” Metaton assures, taking Papyrus’s hand.

 

“I don’t believe that for one second, MTT. You thrive off drama.” Sans chimes in, completely unamused. 

 

“Normally, I do.” Metaton concedes. “But tonight is not about me and my many talents or performances. Tonight is about love, specifically Alphys and Undyne’s love, not that Mine and Papy’s isn’t encouraged as well.”

 

“That’s enough, Sans. I don’t want any problems from you either.” Toriel warns. “We don’t need a repeat of Frisk’s  New Beginnings party.”

 

“That was not my fault.” Sans defends, fending off Frisk’s tiny hands from his eye socket. “No no, baby girl. That’s my eye socket. Don’t poke Dada in the eye socket.”

 

“Whether it was your fault or not, you still fanned the flames.” Toriel lectures with an irritated sigh. “Just promise me you won’t start or be involved in any drama tonight.”

 

“I promise, Tori.” Sans agrees, handing Frisk her annoying dog plush.

 

“Good. Now, I want you two to promise the same.” Toriel instructs, her aura entirely no nonsense.

 

“I promise, Lady Toriel, that I won’t start or participate in any drama.” Gaster agrees. “Papyrus?”

 

“I, the Great Papyrus, also promise not to start or participate in any drama this evening.” Papyrus confidently assures.

 

“Thank you. Now, I know Gaster, Sans, and Frisk still need to get changed for this evening. What is the plan for everyone getting to the Hotel?” Toriel prompts.

 

“I talked to the River person and they would be happy to give us all a ride to Hotland.” Metaton notifies. “They would drop us off South of the core’s elevator, near the lab. We could grab Alphys and Undyne on the way there.”

 

“That would be good to get us most of the way there. As for picking them up, I talked to Alphys earlier and she said they were already there. Apparently Undyne got them a room at the Hotel for their one year dating anniversary.” Toriel relays. “Papyrus, are you and Metaton going with us or are you two heading over on your own?”

 

“I am unsure, Lady Toriel.” Papyrus admits, looking to Metaton.

 

“I think we should. That way we can help them get everything ready.” Metaton proposes.

 

“That would be very nice of you.” Toriel agrees. “Alright, why don’t you two go on ahead of us. Gaster, Sans and Frisk will get changed and then we’ll meet up at the Hotel.”

 

“But, Lady Toriel, how will all of you get there if the River person isn’t back in time?” Metaton inquires. “I can’t imagine it taking you all that long to get to one of the ports in Snowdin or Waterfall after getting dressed.”

 

“We can always take a shortcut, right Sans?” Gaster responds, looking to his son.

 

“Yes and no.” Sans responds, rubbing Frisk’s back. “We can, but I don’t know about doing that with our little lady… She’s done it before the regression but I don’t know she’ll take it as well now.”

 

“We’ll worry about that after we try our luck with the River person.” Toriel dismisses, glancing at the clock above the front door. “We need the three of you to get ready to go. We only have three hours to get there and it’s on the other side of Hotland.”

 

“Alright, Darlings! Papy and I are off to the Hotel! See you there soon!” Metaton calls as he drags Papyrus out the door with them.

 

As the door closes, Flowey bursts out with derisive laughter. Everyone but Frisk stares right at him with a shared sour expression. Frisk simply hides her face in her Daddy’s sternum and whines.

 

“I know, baby girl. Let’s go get dressed and packed up for the gathering.” Sans comforts, heading upstairs to his room.

 

“Gaster, now would be a good time to go change and come back.” Toriel advises, noticing him watching Sans and Frisk disappear into their room.

 

“Sometimes, I want to kill that robot…” Gaster sighs. “But I know Metaton isn’t actually a robot so I restrain myself. Huh…. I… I-I haven’t felt so at peace in… well I don’t know how long… Probably since Sans learned how to run away from me…”

 

“Oh, Gaster, honestly…” Toriel sighs. “He’s trying to let you back in his life, otherwise he would’ve shunned you and kept you away from Frisk.”

 

Toriel gets nothing but silence from the scientist. She huffs and shakes her head, leading him to the sofa and forcing him to sit down.

 

“Gaster, look at me.” Toriel commands, a strained smile making an appearance when he actually faces her. “You were right. Frisk is everything to Sans… Honestly, if she hadn’t been so young before her whole regression, I think he would’ve asked her on a date. She’s hurt so much in her life and so has he… They are soulmates because they understand each other on a level that no one else can. But Sans won’t push that kind of relationship unless Frisk wants it. And now that he’s her father, he has blinders to everything but her. She’s the most legitimate form of vulnerable there is. She’s a blind, partially deaf infant. He’s not going to pay you much mind unless you’re doing something that benefits them. If it doesn’t help her or him, he doesn’t care right now.”

 

Gaster looks a bit shocked, but it sets in and he realizes that’s exactly how things are now. He can’t blame his son. It’s probably instinctual after the childhood he’s had. The poor boy is probably stressed and anxious beyond comprehension at being in that same situation. The bigger problem is that no one can bring Frisk back if she dies now. She’ll be forever stuck in the loading screen as a baby… She might even be erased from existence if that happens since there wouldn’t be anyone there to care for her and keep her alive. Unless…

 

“I can’t lose her…” Gaster tells Toriel. “She’s my only grandchild. I only just met her… She came to see me once… but it was only a phantom of my being that went away as soon as she tried to talk to me… She was so crushed that she sat there in that room for so long just crying.”

 

“Gaster, you aren’t going to lose her.” Toriel assures him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Everyone down here knows that their hopes and dreams lie in the soul of that baby girl that your son raising to be the most wondrous young woman. As long as you continue to be around, to get to know your sons and granddaughter, everything will be as perfect as can be. Sure everyone’s a little upset at being back Underground, but they know Frisk will come through for them just like before so they’ll wait and they’ll be there at her every birthday party because she’s special to everyone down here. Just you wait and see, Wing Ding Gaster.”

 

“I hope you’re right, for their sake.” Gaster responds, a sad smile on his bony face. “I suppose I should go get changed and get back before you all leave me in the dust.”

 

“Little late for that Dadster.” Sans comments, carrying Frisk as he walks downstairs. “If you leave now, she’s gonna pitch a fit.”

Gaster is speechless, not because of his son’s words, but the boy’s appearance and how beautiful his grand baby looks. Sans is wearing a pale blue button down shirt with an echo flower patterned bow tie, a black vest, black pants and… Gaster can’t help but chuckle at his son’s footwear- black fuzzy slippers. Frisk is wearing and ombre blue puff sleeve dress with a little blue bow headband and is still clutching to her annoying dog plush. Sans has a plain black plush blanket ready to wrap her up to keep her warm.

 

“Uh… Dadster?” Sans questions, feeling uncomfortable with the stare he’s receiving. “You okay, Dusty Bones?”

 

“Yes, I am fine, my son.” Gaster responds at last, a proud look on his face. “Come give me hug and let me get a closer look at my grand baby.” 

 

Sans looks to Toriel, rather confused. She smiles warmly and nods in Gaster’s direction. Sans shrugs and approaches his father, coming at him from an angle so they don’t squish Frisk. He’s surprised by the comfort that it brings him as Gaster embraces him. It feels like… Home…

 

“Well, we should head out if we’re going to stop by Gaster’s so he can get dressed.” Toriel announces, shouldering Frisk’s diaper bag and grabbing her purse. “Did you restock the diaper bag already, Sans?”

 

“Yeah, Tori.” Sans answers, fighting a pale flush to his cheekbones.

 

With that, they depart from their humble home in Snowdin. They manage to catch the River person up at the Snowdin port and make to Gaster’s in record time. The doctor’s appearance is the more astonishing part. When he exits his lab, he is dressed handsomely from head to toe. He’s wearing black pants and dress shoes with a crisp white button down shirt, a shimmering sunset colored vest with a matching bow tie, and long, elegant black tail coat. 

 

“My word, Gaster, you clean up very nicely.” Toriel teases as they begin their trek towards Metaton’s hotel.

 

“Thank you, Lady Toriel.” Gaster responds, trying not to blush.

 

He hasn’t been complimented on something as inconsequential as his appearance since he last saw his wife. 

 

“You look good, Dad.” Sans comments, walking past them as Frisk starts to fuss.

 

“AAAaaahhh!” Frisk whines, frustrated with her blanket and the unbearable heat of the environment.

 

“I know, baby girl, I know.” Sans comforts, picking up the pace. “Come on, you two. We need to get her out of this heat.”

 

Gaster looks to Toriel with a concerned expression and nods. With the three of them rushing through Hotland, they manage to get to the Hotel in half the time. Unfortunately, what Gaster and Toriel originally read on Sans as urgency seems to have transitioned to anxiety as they enter the ballroom. Neither say anything about to him since they know it can be a byproduct of the Determination pills given the right circumstances, though it seems the least likely reason.

 

“Gaster, may I speak with you?” Toriel inquires, pulling Gaster to the side as Sans procures an empty table at the far end of the ballroom.

 

“Of course, though your actions and tone of voice suggest I had no other option to begin with,” Gaster responds, somewhat amused.

 

“I’m afraid Sans is a bit high-strung… He seems very uneasy, to say the least. Does he have trouble with large crowds?” Toriel presses, ignoring his comment.

 

“No, though I will say between him and Papyrus, he’s more of an introvert. He’s more likely to be very close to a small number of people than acquaintances with a large group.” Gaster explains. “Though, I will say that he may be having some form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD for short. When he was just a little bones and Papyrus was a baby bones, I… well, I disappeared from existence in this plane. My boys were hunted as if they were to blame, though Sans was simply scared because he was a smart little bones and knew the Underground’s opinion of him and his brother was very distasteful at best. He ran away with Papyrus and hid from everyone until he was sure they would never find them. They hid in Waterfall, as it was where we lived at the time, but much closer to Snowdin as we were closer to the core and hotland when they were growing up. After years of hiding, scrounging through the dump, and doing odd jobs, Sans took Papyrus and the money he saved and got their house in Snowdin.”

 

“Why wouldn’t Sans ever mention any of that?” Toriel questions, rather alarmed as she looks over to Sans playing with his baby girl.

  
“I don’t pretend to know for certain, but if I had to guess, part of him has never stopped running and thinks he needs a place to hide. Having PTSD, he may think that he’ll need to run and hide again some day because the same thing could happen. With that being a possibility, he may not think it wise to discuss his past, lest he give out information that may lead to his ruin.” Gaster answers, folding his hands in front of him. “Sans is a brilliant boy and I know he’ll be okay. At the same time, I too wish he would come forth and share these things with the ones he loves so that we may help him stop running…” 

They watch as Sans periodically glances around the room as if he knows a threat is lurking in the ballroom this very instant. His grip on Frisk is strong but Gently as he continues to distract her with her annoying dog plush and her teething pacifier. Toriel can practically feel her heart breaking to think that she allowed her husband to hunt Sans and his brother. All the while, Gaster feels a disturbance in the room, almost as if there were another being with Determination in the Hotel with them, just hiding in plain sight and waiting for something...


End file.
